For example, the connector shown in FIG. 12 is such a card connector equipped with an ejection mechanism. This connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. H 11-119861. Card connector 100 equipped with an ejection mechanism consists of a header 110 which is mounted on a printed circuit board, a plurality of electrical contacts 112 attached to an insulating housing 111, and a shell assembly 120 equipped with an ejection mechanism, which is attached to the header 110.
Conventionally, card connectors equipped with ejection mechanisms used for the electrical connection of cards such as memory cards, communications cards and HDD packages, to circuit boards have been used in laptop and notebook type personal computers.
For example, the connector shown in FIG. 12 is such a card connector equipped with an ejection mechanism. This connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. H 11-119861. Card connector 100 equipped with an ejection mechanism consists of a header 110 which is mounted on a printed circuit board ( ), a plurality of electrical contacts 112 attached to an insulating housing 111, and a shell assembly 120 equipped with an ejection mechanism, which is attached to the header 110.
The shell assembly 120 equipped with an ejection mechanism consists of a part with a flat angular shape which is formed an upper-side shell 121 and a lower-side shell 122 which abut each other along left and right side walls. The shell 121 surrounds a card receiving cavity which accommodates two memory cards or communications cards (not shown in the figures) or one HDD package (not shown in the figures). Furthermore, independent ejection mechanisms 123 which are used to eject the accommodated cards are attached to either side wall. Each of these ejection mechanisms 123 consists of an ejection bar 124 and an arm 125. Each ejection bar 124 is installed so that it can move in a mating direction along a side wall. Furthermore, each arm 125 is installed so that it can pivot in the direction indicated by the arrows on the inside surface of the end of the upper shell 121 or lower shell 122. The end of each ejection bar 124 is connected to one end of the corresponding arm 125.
When either ejection bar 124 is urged by an ejection button 126 attached to this ejection bar 124, the arm 125 pivots and engages with the end portion of the inserted card to eject the card.
Furthermore, the card connector 100 is mounted on the circuit board as follows. The shell assembly 120 equipped with an ejection mechanism is first attached to the header 110. The entire card connector 100 is then attached to the circuit board by soldering the electrical contacts 112 of the header 110 to conductive pads on the circuit board. Attaching brackets 127 extending from the left and right side walls of the shell assembly 120 are screwed to the circuit board.
Several problems have been encountered in this conventional card connector 100. Specifically, the ejection bars 124 attached to the left or right side walls of the upper shell 121 and lower shell 122 are not interchangeable. For example, it is possible not move the ejection bars 124 attached to the right side walls of the upper shell 121 and lower shell 122 (as shown in FIG. 12) to the opposite left side walls since there is no member to which the ejection bars 124 can be attached on the left side walls. If attachment members for receiving the ejection bars 124 are installed on both the left and right side walls the width of the shell assembly 120 is increased beyond the requirement for compactness.
Furthermore, since the card connector 100 is mounted on the circuit board after being equipped with an ejection mechanism, it can not be easily replaced after the electrical contacts 112 of the header 110 have been soldered to the conductive pads of the circuit board
Accordingly, the present invention was devised in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a card connector having an ejection bar that can be attached on the left or right using a minimal number of parts, while maintaining a small width dimension.
Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a card connector in which the frame assembly equipped with an ejection mechanism can be simply and easily replaced even after the electrical contacts of the header have been soldered to the conductive pads on the circuit board.
Accordingly the invention provides a card connector having a header and an eject mechanism. The card connector features a pair of interchangeable guide arms disposed on right and left sides of the header, attached to a frame, and configured to selectively receive an ejection bar.